Blank Flank
by The Black Wizard Zeref
Summary: Candy Cane is a temporary teacher who decides that the best way to teach her class about Cutie Marks, is to give them a little history lesson on the Red Tail Settlement, namely a colt named Alex.
1. Candy Cane's Prologue

"As a Pony grows, it discovers its purpose in life; it is then that they get their cutie mark." Candy Cane explained to her class, the Pegasus pony had a red and white mane, with yellow fur. Her cutie mark was a blue bow tied around a candy cane. She scanned the class with her blue eyes and smiled, she was a new teacher in Cloudsdale, and was happy to teach in her sister, Raspberry Swirl's place while her sister attended a meeting in Ponyville.

"This is boring! Everyone already knows about cutie marks." A young Pegasus called Do Ray Me said, she was a white pony with a purple short mane, her cutie mark was three music notes.

"Ms. Candy Cane?" A small filly with a purple, green, and red main, also white in color, raised her hoof.

"Yes, Grape Vine?" she smiled at her, disregarding Do Ray Me's comment. "will we all get our cutie marks one day?" She asked.

"Yo, don't be such an idiot Viney!" DeTrix, a dark blue colt with a purple mane and a skateboard cutie mark said, taking his head phones off his ears and removing his glasses to show his piercing green eyes. He smiled at her, "Everyone gets their cutie mark eventually. Even you."

The filly blushed gently and looked down, feeling embarrassed.

"Don't be so sure, Mr. Detrix. Not every pony gets their cutie mark." Candy Cane said.

"Huh?"

"Say what?!"

"She's lying!"

The foals began to murmur to one another, the blank flank ponies looking worried now, Candy Cane sighed, "Apologies, perhaps I should explain some more?"

She walked over to stand in the center of the class and picked up some chalk to start writing on the board.

She wrote down three words: "Alex Red Tail"

The children all looked confused as she wrote this nice and large across the board. Candy Cane placed the chalk down then turned to the foals. "It's more than likely that every single one of you will have a cutie mark. But there is always a very small chance that a pony may not get their cutie mark, because they never found what they were good at." Candy Cane said.

"I'm going to tell you about an old settlement of Pegasi. They were unlike any other Pegasus ever known. They were a clan, all born of the same ancestors, who lived on the land, rather than in the sky. These Pegasus all had shiny red coats and dark red manes, and were ruled by a signal family. The Family of Skylar Red Tail, a brave stallion who kept his clan safe, but also kept them separate from all other ponies." Candy Cane said, drawing a picture of a large stallion on the board.

"Skylar had three foals, two daughters named Jen Red Tail, and Crimson Crimrose Red Tail. And a son called Alex Red Tail."

The Class listened intently as their teacher explained the background to them, curious about what this all had to do with cutie marks.

"Skylar was no longer with the clan when Alex was born however, and so Alex never knew his father. His mother was sickly and so she didn't last very long after her third foal. So Jen, the eldest of the two sisters, took care of the two. Although…"

She drew a picture of three z's on the board, and one of a bow. "Jen was very lazy, and often slacked off. She had been taught by Skylar, and was the best Pegasus archer ever known, only rivaled later by her younger Sister, Crimson. So Jen was unable to lead the clan and-"

"Ms?" Grape Vine put up her hoof again. "What does this all have to do with Cutie marks?"

Candy Cane gave her a confused look, then sighed. "I suppose you all want me to get down to the point then, don't you?" she said. The class nodded.

"Very well, back to Alex then. Jen, Crimson, and Alex were unlike the rest of the Red Tails. Though the red tails were all hard working, red eyed ponies specialized in archery and frowned on any form of close combat fighting, Jen was lazy, Crimson had one blue eye, and Alex… well, Alex was blind."

She paused to let the class think over this for a moment, and then continued. "This is where our story really begins. With Alex, soon after his mother passed on."


	2. A meeting

The Red Tail Settlement stood on top of a mountain, stretching its shadow over ponyville. In the midst of the land, many red Pegasi ran about this way and that, going about their business. While in one tent, there was a very important meeting going on.

Jen, Crimson, and the three village Elders were meeting to discuss the passing of their parents.

"Although it grieves us all to have lost such great leaders, we cannot waste time in mourning. We must decide on a course of action as to who will take care of the village" Said an old mare. The stallion beside her nodded.

"Jen, as the oldest, is would only be fit to have you as the leader of our clan. However, you do not show interest in the clan's wellbeing, and would rather sleep than be here it seems." He said, glaring at the Mare as she seemed to be falling asleep on her hooves. He turned his attention to her younger sister. "Crimrose, you are one of the best archers in this village, and would make an excellent leader. However…" He moved a hoof over to her mane and removed it from in front of her left eye, revealing a strong ocean blue eye.

"You are not pure. You have a blue eye, which means that you will taint the blood line and end the Red Tail's purity." He said. "And you, Ale- where's Alex?" he said, looking around.

"He couldn't make it." Crimson said. "He… well… you know how hard it is for him to get around…" Crimson's ears lowered and she looked down. The mare who had been sitting silent until now spoke up. "Young Alex can never become a true Red Tail. He cannot see, and so he cannot use a bow. The young Colt would have been exhiled by now had it not been your father's rules to remove that from the clan's code after you were born, Crimrose." The Mare glared.

"It seems we have much to still discuss upon this matter." The first mare said. "I apologise to you both for taking up your time. We will come to a decision and call upon you when you are needed again." She nodded to dismiss the two and they nodded in return and bowed respectively before they turned and left. Alex stood in his house, pacing as he did, his clouded pink eyes staring into nothing as he waited for his sisters to return. As he heard them coming, he quickly slipped out of the back of the tent, not wanting them to know that he had been there.

"Alex?" Crimson said, walking into the house. The two stood near the open back door at the end of the house. "Guess he isn't here?" Crimson said. Jen nodded, "In that case, I'm going to bed." She said and turned away, yawning.

"If you sleep too much it won't be good for you." Crimson sighed. "Poor Alex. I can't even imagine how bad he must feel. She said and walked over to a mirror. Moving her hair out of her face, she looked into her blue eye. "As different as I am, at least I still have a chance to be Clan Leader. Alex doesn't even get that."

"So that's what they said." Alex said from behind her. Crimson turned to look at the colt, he was still very young, and small. Alex stood looking partially to the side, his ear turned towards Crimson. "I see." He said and started walking.

"Alex…" Crimson said, looking down. He stopped and smiled as he turned his head slightly towards her voice. "It's alright, Rose. I understand. I'm too young to be a chief anyways. Besides, who wants to be a silly old chief anyways?" He said and turned away then started walking very carefully, and managed to make his way out of the room. Unlike any other blind pony, Alex refused to use a guide of any kind. Which only made it harder for him to get around, but it made him feel better about himself.

Crimson sighed, she really did feel sorry for the young foal, although she knew that there was nothing she could do.


	3. A disgrace

A few years passed and the village elders finally decided to name Crimson the Leader of the Red Tail Settlement. At her coronation, every Pony in the village came to celebrate, including Alex and Jen.

As they all sat down to watch as Crimson was given the Elder Bow, passed from leader to leader for thousands of years, Alex came rushing over to try and join the rest of the herd. The Stallion had grown over the years and was now a strong handsome young colt, still fairly young, but quite grown now. Although one thing still hadn't changed yet. Alex was still a blank flank.

He ran towards the crowd, only to trip and fall over his own hooves and roll into a mare, who glared and kicked him so that he went rolling. Crimson and Jen hadn't noticed as Alex went rolling into a tree.

The colt stood up and shook his head then started walking much slower and more carefully towards the group of ponies. "Look at him, it's that blind pony."

"Hey, it's the blank flank."

"Wow, surprised he can even walk what with those eyes."

Alex ignored the comments as he began to walk through the crowd, trying not to bump into too many ponies. His eyes were closed as he walked. Jen looked at Crimson then back at Alex as she noticed him walking through the crowd. "Alex!" Crimson Smiled and called her younger brother over. As he walked over, Crimson nuzzled him. "I want you to be a part of this celebration too, Alex. Since you can't see it, here, I'll let you feel the bow." She said. Everyone began to whisper as Crimson handed the blind colt the ancient bow. He held it with gentle hooves for a moment, then looked up to where he suspected that Crimson was.

"Thanks, Rose." He said and smiled at her. As he stepped closer to find her and hand her back the bow, however, he stepped in the wrong direction and fell off the stairs. All the ponies gasped as they stared in shock at him.

"What? What happened?" Alex said, standing up. He knew that they weren't gasping because they were worried about him, but he also couldn't see what they were going on about. He stepped back as he listened to hear what had happened. A cracking sound was heard under his hoof.

'oh no.' Alex thought. "Alex… the bow… it's… you…" Crimson's voice sounded shocked, sad, and worried as she spoke to him. Alex didn't answer though, he knew what had happened. Jen galloped to the young stallions side as the villagers began to shout nasty comments at him

"ENOUGH!" She shouted and the entire crowd went quiet. Jen turned to Alex and placed a wing around him. "Come on Alex." She said and walked away with him.

That night as Alex lay in bed, he could hear Jen, Crimson, and one of the elders busy arguing.

"It wasn't his fault!" Crimson argued.

"Even if it was an accident, it was still his wrong doing. You can't protect him forever." The Elderly Mare said.

"As you said, it was an accident. He couldn't help it. Those eyes of his… were a flaw in the blood line." She said. Crimson looked up at Jen with tears in her eyes. "But Jen… he.."

"Face it Crimson, we all know that our Mother was not one of us. She was a simple red mare that had been taken into the clan when she was young. She was a flaw in the blood line, and she is the reason why you and Alex are impure in physicality, and I in mentality." She said. Crimson looked down then simply nodded and turned then left.

Alex sighed and climbed out of bed. "They're right." He said. "I'm nothing but trouble here." He whispered and walked over to where his closet was. Pulling out his bag, he managed to put it on and placed in it his blanket and his teddy bear, the last thing that he had to remember his mother.

Walking over to the window, he opened it up and looked back at the door. "I'm sorry, Rose. Jen and you will be better off without me here anyways." He said and turned then flew off out the window. He didn't know where he was or what direction he was headed, all he knew is that he was leaving… for good.


	4. Sweet Apple Acres

"Alex?" Crimson said, knocking on his door the next morning. She found it strange that he didn't answer, and so she walked inside. She looked around at a bare room and noticed that he wasn't in there. At first she didn't worry, but then she noticed that his favourite blanket and his teddy bear were gone as well.

Crimson feared the worst as she galloped through the village towards the elder's meeting tent.

"Where is he?!" she shouted as she burst into their tent.

"Where, is… who?" the stallion asked calmly as he sipped his coffee.

"Alex! Where is he?! You must have sent him off somewhere last night after yesterday's accident!" Crimson Accused. But the Elders didn't know what she was talking about. Of course they wouldn't.

Alex was long gone. He had made his way far from the village, and had managed to settle down on the cloud for the night, sleeping almost just above Apple Acres.

As the morning came, Apple Jack left early to head into town and set up the market stall for the day, Big mac planned to get up later to do some apple bucking, while Apple bloom was getting ready to head to school. "There!" she said, fixing her bow, "all done." She turned and started trotting out towards the gate when she noticed the low cloud.

"Huh, that's strange, wonder who would be taking a nap here?" she said then took a deep breath. "HEY!" she shouted. Alex was startled awake quickly and accidently made the cloud disperse in his flailing then fell to the ground with a loud thud.

"Are you okay?" Apple Bloom asked, standing over him. "Yeah, I'm used to it." He said, getting up and rubbing his head "I ain't never seen you around before, are you new round these parts?" She asked, tilting her head.

"Uh… sort of, I guess. Didn't think I was near any ponies though." He said.

"You talk funny." She said, not paying attention to what he was saying. True enough he really did speak strangely, his sentence would sound more like: "Sort o'. Di'nt think Ah wos near anae ponaes though."

He twitched his ear and turned his head slightly towards her. "Really? You're the one who speaks weird, where I come from everypony talks like this."

"Well here in ponyville, no pony speaks with like that!" She said. "By the way, what's with your eyes?" she asked.

"My eyes? What about them?" He asked, he still wasn't looking at her, though slightly passed her instead.

"Well first you ain't looking at me. Second, they're really weird looking. They're so pink-like and you don't have black pupils, why're they grey?" she asked.

"Answer will probably give you the reason why I haven't looked at you. I have no reason to look at you since I can't see." He said.

"You can't see?!" she said, seeming very shocked. The blind colt simply nodded. Apple Bloom was about to say something when another voice cut her off.

"Hey, Apple Bloom!" Scoodaloo called as the Pegasus and her Unicorn partner Sweety Bell ran over to them.

"Hey ya all!" she said and smiled at her friend.

"We were waiting for you at the gate, but you were taking forever." Scoodaloo said.

"So we decided to come and look for you!" Sweety Bell smiled.

"And boy am I glad we did! Looks like you would have been here all day if we didn't. So who's this anyways? A new member for the cutie mark crusaders?" Scoodaloo asked, eyeing Alex's Blank Flank.

"This is urm…"

"Alex Red Tail." He said, puffing out his chest proudly as he said this. The three looked at him for a second.

"Right… this is Alex, he was sleeping on a cloud over Apple Acres." Apple Bloom said. "An' Scoodaloo, ya don't really think he doesn't have a cutie mark, do ya? He's nearly a full grown stallion!" Apple Bloom said.

"Actually." Alex said, facing towards all three voices. "From what I know, I do not have a cutie mark yet." He lowered his ears. "I'm still a blank flank…" he sighed.

"Really?" Apple Bloom and Sweety Bell both took a peak at the colt's bare flank and looked surprised. Apple Bloom felt a touch of sympathy for the blind pony and pulled her friends a side.

"Come on girls! We gotta help him!" she said.

"You mean make him one of the cutie mark crusaders?" Scoodaloo said.

"Yeah! Why not?" Sweety bell smiled.

"But not only cause of that." Apple bloom looked back at the confused colt, feeling gently with his hooves as he walked slowly, wondering where they went. "He's blind" she told them.

"Blind?!" they exclaimed at the same time. Alex looked towards the sound quickly.

"Shh! Not so loud! We gotta help him. We can't just leave him alone."

"But doesn't he have family to help him out?"

"Why don't we go ask him?"

"That's a great idea sweety Bell!"

The three turned around and bumped into the colt.

"Ask me what?"

"Uh…" Apple bloom looked at the other two for help, but they simply quietly urged her to do it. "we were… just wondering if you had a family and why ya all were on Apple Acres anyways?" she asked.

"It's… a long story… if you all could help me find something to eat, and perhaps have enough time, I'd be willing to share it if you're really interested." He said. The three fillies looked at one another then nodded.

"We have school currently." Scoodaloo said.

"But you can come with us!" Apple Bloom said.

"Yeah, and maybe we can stop by my house on the way and you can stay there." Sweety Bell said.

"That's a great idea Sweety Bell!"

"Yeah!"

"uh… alright. Lead the way then… I guess… just… one of you will have to help me." He said, looking down ashamed of his disability.

They all nodded and Apple Bloom stood beside him, she'd herd him from the sides if he started to stray, while sweety bell lead the way and Scoodaloo walked behind him, trying to help keep him moving in the right direction.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders, MOVE OUT!" Scoodaloo shouted and they started walking slowly towards Rarity's house.

Crimson sat in Alex's room, her ears drooped as she looked out the open window. Jen walked into the room and placed a wing around her shoulders.

"Make a wish." Jen said gently.

"And hope for a miracle." Crimson whispered, closing her eyes.

"I'm sure he's alright, Crimrose." Jen said. Crimson simply nodded and sniffled. Jen sighed and looked out of the window, "We have three of the best pegasi searching currently. I promise you that we will join them when the next three go searching when the others come back." She said.

"Jen… what if… what if we don't find him?" Crimson said. "It's my fault he ran away. I shouldn't have handed him the bow." Crimson said.

"No, Crimrose. There is no point in blaming yourself. I know Alex just as well as you do. We will find him. With those eyes, he can't have gone very far."

Crimson simply nodded, then stood up and left the room. She worried for her younger brother, fearing the worst things may have happened to him


End file.
